


The Mixtape That Your Best Friend Made

by muchofeels



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Again, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Awkwardness, Fluff, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Mixtape, No Smut, Slow Dancing, Sneaking Out, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, at least, cd shopping, guitar shopping, i think it's tooth-rotting fluff, night time adventures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 18:14:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3539186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muchofeels/pseuds/muchofeels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What if we get caught?” Frank questioned, eyes shooting back and forth between the boy climbing through his window and his bedroom door.<br/>“Doesn’t matter because we aren’t gonna get caught.”<br/>“But what if we do?”<br/>“What if you shut up and just come with me?”<br/>“Gerard-”<br/>“Are we best friends?”<br/>“Of course we are. But what does that-”<br/>“Then come with me. Live with me! Let’s have an adventure before it’s too late.”<br/>Frank stared at the purple headed 17 year old in front of him with eyes that were wide and pleading, all emotion being barred shamelessly. His eyes raked over Gerard’s lips- perfect and pink and puckered slightly because of the slight pout he was wearing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mixtape That Your Best Friend Made

**Author's Note:**

> Well, okay. See, I have two versions of this fic. This is the second one, posted because it's better, but the other one is called "Kiss Me, You Animal" and it is literally the same thing up until like, idk, the dancing part. It's kinda smutty??? But not really??? Idk, if you guys like this, tell me and I'll post the other one.

“What if we get caught?” Frank questioned, eyes shooting back and forth between the boy climbing through his window and his bedroom door.

“Doesn’t matter because we aren’t gonna get caught.”

“But what if we _do_?”

“What if you shut up and just come with me?”

“Gerard-”

“Are we best friends?”

“Of course we are. But what does that-”

“Then come with me. _Live_ with me! Let’s have an adventure before it’s too late.”

Frank stared at the purple headed 17 year old in front of him with eyes that were wide and pleading, all emotion being barred shamelessly. His eyes raked over Gerard’s lips- perfect and pink and puckered slightly because of the slight pout he was wearing.

He looked soft. Soft and little and it made Frank’s heart clench.

“Fine, fine.” He sighed in defeat.

“Yes!” Gerard cheered triumphantly, tossing a pair of black pants to his friend.

Frank caught them before they hit his face and then swung his legs over the side of his mattress with force to show Gerard he was doing this not by choice.

He shimmed them on and grabbed a jacket before following his friend out his window and down the storm pipe.

Once they were both settled in Gerard’s car, Frank stole a glance at his friend. His fingers were trembling and eyes were bloodshot. The guy looked like he just downed five coffee’s in under ten minutes.

“You alright?”

“‘M fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

“Well, I am!” He snapped and then immediately hung his head. “Sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

Sensing the tension that had just arisen, Frank quickly changed the subject. “Where are we going?”

The teen in the drivers seat shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Good game plan.” He laughed.

This earned a small smile from Gerard. “I was thinking like… just fucking around in like, Walmart for an hour.”

Frank shifted in the passenger seat so that his body was turned and he was facing Gerard. “You’re telling me you dragged me out of bed at 1:30 a.m just to go fuck around at Walmart? For an _hour_?”

“You got a better idea?”

“Yeah. Alright, let’s go rollerskating and guitar shopping and-”

“Rollerskating? Really, Frank?”

He laughed shortly and continued. “Okay, okay, maybe not rollerskating. But we could go skateboarding or- hey! We could go spray painting.”

At the mention of one of his favourite pass time activities, Gerard perked up. “Spray painting _does_ sound fun.”

“Good, we’ll do that. You got any paint in the trunk?”

“Frankie, do you even know who you’re talking to?”

“Is that a yes?”

“That’s a _hell_ yes.”

The younger man smirked and shifted so he was facing the road again, then turned the radio up. They fell into a comfortable silence where neither one of them voiced where they were going, but the way that the freshly paved road melted into cracking cement gave Frank the impression that they were on their way to go be artistic delinquents.

Gerard pulled the car over under the highway. They paused for a moment and Frank took the uninterrupted spot of time to steal a glance at the other teen. He looked so thin in the dead of night- the headlights of passing cars casting shadows under his eyes, his skin giving off the impression of being ghostly pale and china doll smooth. But the way his cheeks had seemed to hollow out more and more every month instilled a certain amount of unease to settle in Frank’s stomach.

The appearance of the young man worried his friend so much that he was tempted to ask once again about Gerard’s condition again, but the memory of how _splendid_ that went last time forced him to hold his tongue.

“Frank?” Gerard questioned.

Frank’s eyes focused on the violet headed male who was looking slightly confused at his friend. “Yeah?”

“You spaced out.”

“Oh, sorry. I- I didn’t notice.” He squeezed his eyes shut at the way he stuttered.

 _Such bullshit._ He thought.

When he opened his eyes, he found Gerard staring at him with his eyebrows raised and head cocked to the side slightly, a small smirk painted on his lips. “Ohhhhkay, Frankie. What _ever_ you say.”

Regardless of his embarrassment, Frank got out of the car when Gerard did and they both rounded to the back of the car to the trunk.

Gerard popped it open and watched with satisfaction as his friend’s mouth fell open.

The trunk was filled almost completely with an assortment of paint. There were liters, spray cans, pallets, and brushes of all sorts.

“Jesus Christ, Gee! Where did you get all this?”

The taller boy shrugged. “Everywhere. Sometimes I steal it from craft stores and art class, sometimes unfinished liters are on the side of the road. And my favourites I’ll go buy.”

“Don’t you ever get caught?”

Reaching into the trunk and grabbing two cans, Gerard smirked. “Why’re you so worried about getting caught, huh? Scared to go to jail?”

Frank blushed and extended his arm to take one of the spray bottles, eyes down to avoid looking his friend in the eye. “Don’t you know what they do to guys like us in prison?”

Gerard yanked roughly on the can, making the other teen stumble forward, falling against his chest.

“Well, a pretty face like yours,” he ran his finger softly along the shorter boys jaw bone. “I know what they’d do to you.” He never broke eye contact, only when he scanned Frank’s mouth, dragging his teeth across his bottom lip as he did so.

“Sh-shut up.” Frank forced a laugh to try and hide his anxiety. “Besides, we all know that you’re _much_ prettier than me.”

Gerard’s eyes lingered for a second longer before he pushed his friend away playfully.

“You really think that? Oh, you say the sweetest things, Frankie.” He said in a sarcastic tone.

Both teens laughed, confusion and awkwardness reverberating back at them when their sound waves clashed with the concrete walls.

“So,” Frank began. “What are you gonna paint?”

“We. What are _we_ gonna paint. And I don’t know. Something abstract, maybe people. Take your pick.”

“I think I will attempt… people.”

“Sounds good.”

They set off in opposite directions. As Frank walked, he noticed that the walls of the overpass were decorated with artwork that had no doubt done by the young artist. The work was amazing. They could be freakishly lifelike or overly cartoony. Sometimes the colours were loud and fluorescent and other times they looked quiet and dreary. Knowing Gerard, he put all of his emotions into his art and it was fairly obvious by the colours of the most recent paintings that there was something on his mind that he wasn’t talking about- not even to Frank.

Against his better judgement, he kept walking. Another thing he noticed about the most recent sketches were not only the colour, but what they were in general. There was an over abundance of hearts. But they were all in turmoil. One had flames engulfing it and shriveling the pink colouration of it, there was another that was bleeding with three razor blades spilling from its sides, and then another was resting on a bed of nails, each metallic point dangerously close to piercing the fragile organ.

Trying his best to ignore the agony on the walls, Frank uncapped the spray paint and shook it up. He had no idea who to draw, but the image he just couldn’t shake from his mind was the way Gerard looked in the driver seat.

So with as much care and effort as he could, Frank tried his hardest to show the definition of his friend’s cheekbones, to accurately depicted the length of his eyelashes, and the beautiful way his lips curved and filled out so nicely.

 _Beautiful?_ Frank questioned himself. Was that really the correct word to use when trying to spray paint some of portrait of your best friend on the pavement? Maybe not…

But the more he thought about it, the word beautiful did seem to fit the eldest Way brother. He noticed all the girls, and a few other the guys staring at Gerard as he walked by them in the hallway, of course transfixed with whatever hair colour he’d chosen for this month, or how his eyeliner looked on this particular day, and he assumed that they found him physically appealing because who wouldn’t? But Frank never thought he would ever be one of the people to oogle at his best friend in admiration for anything other than his artwork and guitar skills.

The longer he pondered, however, the more he realised he may be one of those people. Sure, it hadn’t been until recently that the thought of Gerard’s tongue against his invaded his dreams, and yeah, it hadn’t been until recently that the wonder of who would be the big spoon and who would be the little spoon drew his mind away from his activities at school, but it happened. No, it _was_ happening. Even right now.

“Shit.” Frank mumbled to himself when the realisation of his feelings towards his best friend finally hit him. He was lost in a reverie about his _best friend_ while these tattered hearts on the walls were clearly stating that the young artist was in love with someone else who had already broken his heart.

“Frankie!”

He was torn from his reverie about the teen approaching him at the call of his name. Gerard was strutting towards him with a look of pure elation on his face.

“Frankie! You gotta come see this!” And before Frank could follow, his friend had his fingers laced around his wrist and was yanking him in the opposite direction.

“Where- where are you taking me?”

“I wasn’t really paying attention to what I was doing, just painting and- well. Just look.”

He pointed to the ground and there was a well defined picture of a young girl with a scar going down across her eye left and her hair was a curly mess that shot out in odd directions.  She didn’t have a torso yet, but her coat collar was popped up. There was a button on the right side of the collar- it was red with a white spider that had a lightening bolt on its back. She was facing the front and behind her there looked to be a sword.

Frank tore his eyes away from the painting which slightly resembled something one would see in a comic to land on Gerard.

“Who is she?”

He had his arms crossed with his right hand up and index finger to his lips. A shrug rolled off of his shoulders and then a simple, “Not sure yet. But..” He stopped and then turned his attention towards Frank. “Killjoys.”

“What?”

“Frank, we need to start a band.”

“Wait, what?”

“Mikey and I talked about it, he’s in. You could be our lead guitarist and we could get Ray and-”

“Gerard! Slow. Down. What are you talking about?”

The other teen captured Frank’s head between his hands and stared into his eyes with high intensity- enough to make Frank squirm a bit under his gaze. “Let’s start a band. We already know how to play instruments, I have songs in  my head- We could do it.”

“I- I don’t know, Gerard.”

“C’mon. I won’t pressure you, I won’t. If you say no right now I’ll never ask again. But-” He let his hands wander down to Frank’s, he squeezed gently. “Please.”

Frank considered saying no. Maybe it was only an option for .03 seconds, but it _was_ a option. But the way Gerard’s eyes were spilling with emotion and the way his lip was puckered in a slight pout… Frank couldn’t say no to that. He gave in. But who wouldn’t?

“Fine!”

Gerard yanked the other boy against him in a rib crushing hug.

When he finally let go, Frank did his best not to look flustered and fixed his shirt. When he’d regained a small amount of his composure, Frank gave a small smile. “So, guitar shopping next then?”

“Oh god, I thought you’d never ask.”

Gerard took off towards his car in a jog, leaving Frank behind to watch and admire the way his skinny jeans framed his hips.

“Don’t keep me waiting, Frankie!” He yelled playfully.

 ****  


The ride to the nearest guitar shoppe was filled with Gerard’s voice and words that explained his plan for the band. It seemed like this was something he’d thought a lot about as he already had potential band names. He was also telling Frank about some lyrics he’d thought up.

“So, you’re serious about this then?”

“Well, yeah. I don’t know why… It just seems right.”

“What about your art?”

Gerard was silent, almost as if he hadn't thought about his number one ambition before Frank mentioned it.

“Frank,” he began after a moment of silence. “You know about my troubles.” Frank nodded. He couldn’t count the number of times Gerard had called him drunk or shown up at his house completely strung out. “I know I’m not the only kid like that and maybe I can’t make a difference, but I gotta let people know they aren’t alone. I gotta let them know that there are others that are broken too… that they can help each other.”

Frank peeked at his friend from the corner of his eye, he hadn’t looked away from the road.

“So inspirational.” He laughed.

“Oh god. I try to be sentimental and this is what I get? You’re the one always telling me I should be nicer.”

“You don’t gotta be nicer, you know I was just joking when I said that.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s just-”

“You’re pure empathy. I know.”

“Yeah…”

The rest of the way to the guitar shop was met with silence. Tonight was probably one of the weirdest nights the two had ever spent together. One moment they were laughing and on top of the world, another the sexual tension was so sharp it could cut through glass, then Gerard would hit a wall of depression or indifference which was then followed by silence.

The worst part was that they could sit in silence. They’d done it plenty of times before, but right now was different. It was awkward and tension filled- like words unsaid were hanging in the air but neither would speak them.

When they parked, Frank looked around. “This plays doubles as a CD store, yeah?”

“Yeah. I was thinking I could buy you one that you wanted.” Gerard said bashfully.

“What? Why?”

“Hush, you have no say in this.”

“But-”

“H _ush_.”

“Ger-”

“ _Hush._ ”

“Gee-”

“How many times do I have to say it before you actually do it?”

Frank grumbled and sighed. “Fine. But if you insist on getting me a thing, I have to get you a thing.”

“But-”

“Are you gonna make me hush you too?”

“No…” Gerard mumbled like a child that had just been scolded for doing something it shouldn’t have been.

“Good. Now, you’re the one who wants to be here, so lets go.”

The two teens existed the vehicle and made their way to the store. There was a little bell that rang when the door was pushed open and the interior smelt of old wood. Although the air was a bit heavy and musky, it was a comforting feeling for some reason.

Frank suggested that they head to the CD’s first, as it seemed that Gerard already had an idea as to what he wanted to purchase for him. Gerard, although reluctantly, agreed and lead the way to the CD collection.

One teen (Frank) was idly flipping through the alternative selection. He came across Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Fall Out Boy, Twenty-One Pilots, and a few other bands that were so undergound he’d never heard of them. But the other boy was throwing CD’s around left and right in a panic.

Frank watched for a moment in confusion and then spoke up. “You looking for something specific, Gee?

“No- Yes. I- I kinda- Uh. Just- Just keep looking, alright? I’m gonna go to the store manager and ask if he’s seen it.”

“Seen what?”

“Keep looking!” Gerard called as he dashed out of the room in pursuit of the manager.

“Fucking weirdo.” Frank laughed as he watched his friend leave.

His flipping stopped when his fingers landed on the first album of one of Gerard’s favourite bands- Iron Maiden. It just happened to be the only album he didn’t have and had been searching for for over a year.

He flipped it over to look at the price. He just happened to have enough for it in his pocket. So, he walked up to the cashier as Gerard was walking back.

The violet haired boy smiled as he held up a CD case.

“The manager put it in the back to make sure that no one else would get it.”

Frank reached out to look at the gift and frowned when his friend smacked his hand away.

“No no. Not yet. You’ll listen in private.”

“But- the anticipation. If you went through all that to get it back, and the manager kept it in the back, it must be a big deal."

“It is. But it’s something I don’t… want to… be around for.”

“That’s scary.”

“Shut up.”

Rolling his eyes, Frank held up his find. “I’m getting it for you.”

Gerard’s eye lit up at the sight of the CD. “What the hell? I’ve been coming here for years and I’ve never seen that.”

“Yeah, well, I must be magic.”

“Or my good luck charm.”

A cherry coloured blush decorated his cheeks as he looked down.

“Oh come on,” A finger under his chin to force him to look up. “You gotta show me when you blush- it’s cute.”

“Ugh, no.”

“Ugh, yes.”

“Let’s just go buy these.” He groaned.

“So bitter, Frankie.”

“Oh shut up.”

Frank handed the cashier his money got the CD in a reuseable bag. Gerard was not told to pay. It lead Frank to believe that maybe he’s pre purchased it… but that was unlikely as his best friend _rarely_ thought that far ahead.

“Now,” Gerard began. “The guitars.”

It seemed like Gerard had taken a liking to dragging Frank places without his full consent because those long slender fingers had once again found a home around his wrist. And for someone who looked so fragile, the guy had enough strength to pull Frank forward and into a stumble.

They found themselves in a back room that looked entirely too big to be an addition to the store they’d originally walked into. The room was covered wall to wall in guitars and basses. Some hand double necks, others where jet black with white strings, and then there was obviously some acoustic guitars sprinkled in among the others.

As Frank stared in wonderment at all of the eccentric instruments, Gerard appeared to be on a mission. He didn’t stop and stare as Frank did, instead he walked straight back and took a guitar off of the shelf. It was baby blue colour and curved slightly.

He raised his eyebrows when Gerard turned around to present it to him.

“What?” He whined.

Frank raised his eyebrows higher and shifted his weight onto one foot.

“Seriously, what’s wrong with it?”

“Uh, have you looked at it? It’s… what even _is_ that colour?”

“It’s-” He turned the guitar to him and squinted. “It’s uh-” The longer he stared, the more sure he was that this blue wasn’t a real colour.

“Uh huh. Now get a new one.”

“At least hold it so that I can see what size you need.”

Reluctantly, Frank took the atrocity of colour. He slipped the strap over his shoulder and almost cringed when the guitar neck fell into his right hand.

“Left handed! Left handed!” He screeched with his eyes squeezed shut. “It feels so weird. Oh my, god. No.” He ripped the thing off roughly and handed it back to Gerard who was giggling not so quietly.

He groaned and stretched his fingers, wiping his hands off of his pant leg a few times before shaking them out and inhaling deeply.

“I’m good.” He breathed.

“You sure?”

“Don’t mock me, I can hear it in your voice. And yes. Next guitar.”

“Open your eyes first.”

Frank obeyed and let his eyes flutter open. They focused the black guitar with white strings that he’d seen when he first entered the room.

Gerard handed it over to him. This one was left handed (thank god) and a little less heavy. The strap didn’t even have to be adjusted. The way it hung down was perfect and it stopped at the right spot made him realise that this band thing may not be such a bad idea.

“What do ya think?”

“It’s nice. It feels really great. Like,” he placed his fingers on the strings and moved them around. “I could play.”

“What don’t you like?”

“What?”

“It’s all over your face that you don’t love it.”

“Well, it just doesn’t feel right.”

“Then we move on to the next one. Give.”

He handed his friend the black hole of an instrument and watched as he searched for another one.

Gerard’s bottom lip was halfway in his mouth, but Frank could easily see the small sores that lined the inside of his lip. He’d done that since they were young. If a situation was too stressful, or he was thinking too hard, or if he was upset, Gerard would chew the skin off of his lips until they bled. Mikey, Gerard’s younger brother, had picked up on the habit as well. Looking at him right now, Frank had an overwhelming urge to kiss him, lick the sores in hopes to heal them, take away any pain or anxiety with his lips

“Fuck it.” He mumbled to himself as he inched forward towards the other teen.

“What’d ya say, Frankie?” Gerard questioned, not taking his eyes off of the rows of guitars.

He placed his hands on his friends hips, letting his fingertips dance innocently over the fabric. His breath was heavier now, snaking down Gerard’s neck and tangling with his hair.

“F-Frank?” He mumbled, letting his own hands touch the ones resting on his jeans.

“Turn around.”

“I-”

“I won’t hurt you.” He reassured with a laugh.

Gerard shakily turned toward his friend, eyes immediately locking on each others.

“You ever been told you’re beautiful?”

“Only by you when you’re drunk.”

Frank leaned up hesitantly and pressed his lips to Gerard’s. A very, very innocent kiss transpired between the two of them. At first.

It was Gerard who dragged his tongue across the shorter teens lip. Frank opened his mouth slightly like he’d been waiting for Gerard to do so, but still nervous as hell to act on this.

Their tongues pressed together and it was better than anything Frank had ever dreamed about. The curve of Gerard’s tongue fit perfectly with his- like they were made to do this. In a moment of want, Frank dragged his hand over and let his fingers push up on the front of Gerard’s shirt.

The sensation of his chilly flesh against the warmness of his clothed stomach made him jump and step back.

“P-people are gonna see.”

“So? They should know.”

“Yeah, okay, but- I- I’d rather do this in private? At le-least the first time. I- Is that okay wi-with you?”

 _Shit._ Frank thought.

Gerard’s stuttering was a sign of his anxiety. His mind moving too fast and lips too slow. He was visibly shaking and roughly peeling skin off of his lips.

“Shit, Gee, I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” He trailed off when the older teen turned to look at more guitars.

“Here.” He said, breaking a few moments of silence.

Frank’s eyes focused on one of the simplest guitars he’d ever seen. The face of the guitar was completely white except for the dials which were black and a plate next to the strings that was also black. The strings were a regular brass colour and the neck of the guitar had white squares in certain chambers.

“That’s it. That ones perfect.”

“I- Really?”

“Yes. Give it.”

Gerard handed it over and Frank took it delicately. Slowly, he slipped it on. He let the neck fall into his hand, let his other hand come down over the strings. Frank played a few notes from some Green Day song he was attempting to learn.

“Ya know,” Gerard began. “I could see you playing that.”

“Then it’s settled. Come back tomorrow to get it?”

“Why not right now?”

“Well, I don’t have any money with me now.”

“I do. I’ll get it for you.”

“Gee, no.”

“Frankie, yes. Besides…” He took the guitar from his friend and examined it. “I know a few ways you can uh, pay me back.” He turned and winked, causing Frank to blush.

 ****  
  


Not even 20 minutes later were the two teens settled in the car with a new guitar in the back seat.

“You wanna go home?” Gerard questioned.

“Fuck no. Don’t bring me back there.”

“Parents fighting again?”

Frank nodded.

“Wanna come back to mine?”

“More than anything.”

The car made a turn, then another, and then another. Before Frank really noticed they were pulling up into Gerard’s driveway.

The reality of the situation kinda hit him for the first time.

He’d kissed him. Gerard. His best friend. Why’d he have to complicate things? Couldn’t he see that there was no possible way that Gerard could feel the same way? That the kiss back at the guitar shop was nothing but a pity kiss?

“I’ve changed my mind.” Gerard blurted out after he’d stepped out of the car.

Frank cocked his head to the side. “What?”

“Listen to it when we get up stairs.”

“Really?”

“No, not really. But I think it’d be best.”

“Well- lead the way.”

As quietly as they could they  tiptoed through the front door and up the stairs- making sure to skip the one that always squeaked when too much pressure was applied. They stopped at the first door on the right and opened it slowly.

“Hey Frank.” Called a quiet voice from behind them.

Both of them jumped, Frank gripping onto Gerard as hard as humanly possible and Gerard trying his best to yank his friend behind him.

“Jesus, Mikey.” Gerard whined. “You scared the hell out of us.”

“Yeah. I noticed.”

“Shut up and go to bed.”

“I could say the same to you both.”

The brothers shared a smirk that half implied that the youngest Way knew something that Frank didn’t. His eyes flashed to Gerard who was beckoning him to follow him into his room, then back to Mikey whose door was almost closed. He stepped inside Gerard’s room and went immediately to the bed.

Gerard put the CD in the player and turned to the teen on the bed before he pressed play.

“I just wanna say that… this is taking a lot of courage to do in front of you. With us in the same room.”

"Why? What's even on the CD?"

"Just- Don't hate me alright?"

Frank watched as he took a few deep breaths and then pressed the play button.

The CD began with a grainy silence. Then you could hear things being moved around and pushed back, a rolling chair hitting tiles and scooting over the granite filled breaks. There came the sound of a few guitar strums, like someone was testing the tone and volume of the instrument. After that there were four deep breaths, the last of which was held for several moments. Then a voice.

“Hey Frank,” It was Gerard’s voice. At the sound of it Franks head shot towards the boy at the opposite end of the room. He had his hair falling in his face, covering his eyes so that it was impossible to see where he was looking or the facial expression he was wearing.

The track continued.

“So, if things went as planned, you’re listening to this on March 17th.” The date was correct. “I probably threw rocks at your window until you came and saw me, or like an idiot you left your window unlocked and I climbed up your storm pipe to get in.” Frank giggled at the accuracy.

“I’m sure you’ve been noticing my mood swings. While this has always been a thing, it’s become more frequent. I haven’t really told you why- sorry about that, but I think that this CD may clear a few things up. And if it doesn’t, well, you’re an idiot.” By the sound of the last sentence, Gerard was smiling when he said it.

About two seconds of silence followed the end of the recording and then the track picked back up.

A few notes were played and Frank instantly recognized. It was Jack and Sally’s song from _Nightmare Before Christmas_. His heart flipped over in his chest as he blushed and covered his mouth.

“ _My dearest friend, if you don’t mind…_ ” Gerard began singing.

Gerard was only secretive about two things. 1) His art (which he stilled showed Frank), and 2) his singing. They’d always sung together. Be it in the car, in one their rooms, in the darkened Chicago streets when they were out exploring. But that was just goofing off. Frank didn’t know that his friend could actually sing. He could do more than actually sing. The sound omitting from the CD player was fucking _angelic._

The song, only being a minute and some change, ended rather quickly, but the feeling it gave Frank would last a life time. He eagerly awaited the next song.

It happened to be by one of his favourite bands- _The Bouncing Souls._ The notes being played told him that it was _“The Gold Song”_ which made Frank blush as it was one of his favourites by them.

His eyes drifted to Gerard who was in the same position, but his hair had been pushed back. Frank could now see that he was biting down hard on his lip, face scrunched up in thought. He looked so ridiculously cute it was almost painful.

He vaguely heard _Blink 182’s “I Miss You”_ playing because he was so caught up in Gerard. It was like he was really seeing him for the first time. He’d looked at his best friend nearly everyday for the past six years, knew the details of his body and personality, saw him break down and cry, had seen dozens of cuts on his skin and then the scars, but right now, he saw all of that together. It made the most elegant person he’d ever laid eyes on. The sight made him almost giddy.

He didn’t notice that the song had ended until he heard the _“No days and nights could brighten my life as much as one moment with you”_

He practically gasped and could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. Biting down hard on his lip to keep his small whimpering sounds inside, he glanced to Gerard who had moved from his spot and taken a seat on his bed next to him. At the chorus of the song, Gerard pressed his forehead to Frank’s shoulder and mumbled the lyrics against his sleeve. It was indescribable how comforting the feeling of his hot breath was.

Knowing what part was coming up, Frank reached his hand down and intertwined his fingers with the boy on his right. The contact made the violet haired boy nuzzle against his neck, pressing a light kiss to the flesh.

When the song ended Frank kissed the top of the other teens hair and mumbled, “Do you really mean that? You’re-”

“Two more songs, Frankie. And it’d be best if you listened.”

The next sound was that same grainy silence from the beginning, except this time Gerard sounded shaken.

“This is going to be the hardest thing to put on the albuuuummm…” He whined. Frank smirked. “Basically, I wrote these. I wrote them… uh, I wrote them about you. Enjoy? I don’t know if that’s what I should say. Oh my, god. I’m such an idiot” The last three sentences were mumbled, kinda like he wasn’t really planning on putting them on the CD but couldn’t, or more likely, didn’t know how to edit them out.

Frank was practically falling off of the bed with the anticipation that had him in a chokehold. There were two seconds separating each song, but he swore that there had been a couple more before this one because it was taking way too long to start up.

A shaky breath was exhaled and that signified the beginning of the new audio track.

 _“These are the eyes and the lies of the taken, these are the hearts but their hearts don't beat like ours,”_ Gerard sang with an uncanny amount of emotion.

The was so much power behind the words that you could almost feel the tears in his eyes.

The verse ended with, _“But you'll never fight alone, 'cause I wanted you to know…”_ and the small amount of time between the end word and the chorus was filled with Gerard mumbling rather quickly something along the lines of  “Oh my, god. I feel so stupid.”

_“That the world is ugly, but you're beautiful to me. Well are you thinking of me now?”_

Frank gaped at the lyrics and squeezed tight to the hand in his. Gerard rubbed his thumb up and down in a comforting fashion, never removing his head from the crook of Frank’s neck.

“Gerard, I-” Frank tried to say when the song ended, but he was quickly shushed by his friend.  “At least look at me…” He reasoned. But Gerard just shook his head and took it upon himself to begin sucking a small hickey at the base of Frank’s neck.

“Okay, so, I wrote this song laaast summer? Yeah, that sounds about right, and it was right after that random midnight train we caught. The one where we shared headphones and played music that was way too loud. Uh- I took you home around 5:30 the next morning and you just- you thanked me for taking you away for a little bit. This song is called _“Summertime”_ I… I hope you like it.”

Frank listened, transfixed by the melody of the guitar, Gerard’s voice, and most of all, the words. The way he sang made it quite clear, even to Frank, that this- these feelings Frank had locked up in chest, were completely returned.

The song had yet to end and Frank was beginning to wrap himself around his friend. He lips brushing every inch of skin that was available to him on short notice, tongue tracing bit of the exposed flesh on his neck.

“Frank... “ Gerard giggled as he planted his hands on the other teens waist.

Although it was a half-assed effort, Gerard managed to push his friend away enough to stare him in the eyes. A small blush was colouring his cheeks and a slightly bigger smile on his lips.

“So, if you don’t wanna do that-”

“ _Yet_.” Gerard cut in.

“Yet, then do you wanna dance?” Frank questioned, letting his feet hit the ground and holding his hand out.

The violet haired boy stared at the hand outstretched to him, the boy in front of him, and then back to the hand. “I- I don’t know. I don’t wanna hurt you and I’m too awkward and I don’t know how and-”

Frank leaned forward and silenced the rambling teen with his lips. “Stop- don’t think about it. Just dance with me.”

It took a moment of the smaller of the two pulling on Gerard’s hand before he was on his feet, but it was done.

“How- How do I-”

“Let me.”

Frank took his soon to be boyfriends hands and placed them on his hips, waiting until Gerard found a comfortable spot in the small of the shorter teens back to rest them. The feeling sent a jolt up his spine and he wrapped his arms around his neck. Gerard stayed a few inches from Frank, uncomfortable tension making his shoulders raise.

The CD was beginning to start over and the sound of his own voice made him cringe.

“Should we be doing this?” He whispered, eyes closed.

“What? It’s not weird to kiss but it’s weird to slow dance?”

The questioned received a shrug as a response. It made Frank giggle a little.

“Not funny…”

“I know, I know.” He was regaining his composure. “Now, we both step to the left-” The pair did so. “Good. And backwards-” Again, another successful dance move performed. “See, this isn’t so hard, hmm?”

“I suppose not…”

“And now we’re just.. gonna..” Frank moved to the right and then forwards. Gerard tried his best to match his movements, eyes trained on their feet like an eagle zeroing in on its prey, but on the forward move, stepped hard on Frank’s toe.

“Fuck.” He squealed in pain.

“Shit, fuck, I- I’m so sorry. I didn’t- I didn’t mean to, I swear. I told you that this was a bad idea. I suck. Jeez, I-”

Frank stood on his tip toes and pressed his lips to his friends. They pulled apart with a pop. “Stop. It’s fine, Gee. You’re just learning and you’re doing fine. But instead of staring at your feet-” He placed the palm of his hands on Gerard’s cheeks and softly tilted his head up so they were making eye contact. “Look at me, keep your eyes on mine and don’t think about it. Just let the movements flow.”

Anxiety was written all over Gerard’s face as he nodded, but did it anyways. The beginning was rocky, a few more stepped on toes and apologies that were brushed off with kisses, but it eventually got better. Soon, Gerard had pulled Frank flush against his body. They moved in a comfortable pattern- dancing, then kissing, and then cuddling against each other harder.

The two danced until their feet hurt.

“Wanna sleep?” Frank mumbled into Gerard’s chest.

A nod.

“Wanna get undressed?”

Another nod.

“Need me to do it for you?”

“Mmm… I don’t _need_ you to do it for me. Buuut…”

Frank looked up, bottom lip captured between his teeth in a smirk. “I think I could be of assistance.”

He took the hem of Gerard’s shirt and slipped it off, kissing a trail up his chest. The taller boy shivered at the touch of the slightly chapped lips against his flesh. Next came his belt which Frank took his sweet time fiddling with before unbuckling it and throwing it across the room. He ripped open the button and yanked the zipper down, letting his fingers dance playfully down Gerard’s torso- a gesture which made his entire body turn a shade of pink.

His skinny jeans were wiggled down and pooled at his ankles. Gerard stepped out and fell to the bed. Frank quickly stripped himself of his own t-shirt and jeans and climbed in bed, hovering on top of Gerard. The older of the two pulled his down, their chests pressing together and heart beats thumping in sync.

A chaste press of lips and smile.

“I really like the mix tape.” Frank whispered.

“Do you?”

“Yes. It’s beautiful. Just like you.”

“Oh hush. I’m not-”

“Gerard Way, you are one of the most gorgeous people I’ve ever laid eyes on. Don’t think, for a _second_ that you are anything less than perfect.”

“Is it too soon to say ‘I love you?’”

“Not at all.”

“Then Frank Iero?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

 


End file.
